£100,000 investment at luxury foods specialist

A specialty food and beverage provider has spent £100,000 on hamper-packing facilities and IT systems to boost its capacity.

The new facilities at Cartwight & Butler, which is based in Gilberdyke, East Yorkshire, will include packaging benches and a baling machine. This will enable the business to turn cardboard waste into recyclable bale.

The company, which is targeting a £9.3m turnover for 2019, said the investment means hampers will be packaged using 100% biodegradable paper instead of plastic.

It added that the recent 55% growth in its corporate gifting arm was a key reason for buying the equipment.

The improved packing and IT facilities also means higher quantities of bespoke requests can be handled with ease.

Since 2012, the business’s employee count has increased from four to 35. The enhanced hamper-packing facilities, which can accommodate up to 60 people, will allow the firm to expand its operations team over Christmas.

With 60% of the food brand’s sales made in the last four months of the year, the hamper-packing facilities will increase production, enabling a threefold increase in Cartwright & Butler’s festive period capacity.

The brand was founded in 1981, with the rights to the business being acquired by the Arnett family in 2010.

In addition to listings in outlets such as Harrods, Selfridges, Liberty of London and Harvey Nichols, the brand exports to 43 countries, including to luxury overseas retailers like David Jones of Sydney and Farmers of New Zealand.

Nigel Arnett, Butler Service Concierge Manager at the company, said: “The decision to invest in our packaging facilities supports our growing business needs and has been carefully planned to ensure we offer the best possible service to our customers.

“We’re passionate about tackling the ongoing plastic waste issues surrounding the food industry, and our investment in sustainable materials is testament to our ongoing ambition to leave a positive impact on our planet, which future generations will inherit.”